Shock protected high stack density suspension system

ABSTRACT

A uniquely configured flexure tongue of a head/gimbal assembly (HGA) provides for parallel positioning of a slider air bearing surface (ABS) during merge and a limitation of pitch of the slider during non-merge. A cantilevered end of the flexure tongue is provided with a finger extension which can be employed for merge operations and a remainder cantilevered end portion adjacent a base of the finger can be employed for limiting pitch of the slider. When a merge comb engages multiple flexure fingers of multiple suspensions in a head stack assembly the air bearing surfaces of the sliders are positioned parallel with respect to one another. This allows maximum disk stack density when a head stack assembly is merged with a head stack assembly. The flexure finger allows various arrangements to be employed for implementing a merge. The present invention also cooperates with a prior art roll limiter so that during merge a three point fixation normalizes a slider at zero pitch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shock protected high stack densitysuspension system and more particularly to a plurality of suchsuspension systems which are shock protected during manufacture, duringassembly in a head stack assembly, during assembly in a disk stackassembly, and after assembly.

2. Background of the Invention

Suspension systems are employed in magnetic disk drives. A suspensionsystem includes a head/gimbal assembly (HGA) which is connected to anouter end ("suspended" end) of a load beam. The HGA includes a flexurehaving a window bounded in part by a pair of flexure legs and an outerterminal end portion. Extending inward from the outer terminal endportion is a flexure tongue which is cantilevered into the window. Aslider, carrying a magnetic head, is mounted at its top to a bottom ofthe tongue. A bottom surface of the slider and a pole tip portion of themagnetic head form an air bearing surface (ABS). An inner end of theload beam is connected to an actuator for moving the ABS across asurface of a magnetic disk while a spring force of the load beampreloads the ABS of the slider toward the magnetic disk. When the diskis rotated, the ABS of the slider is supported ("flies") a slightdistance from the surface of the disk, in the order of 0.075 um, on acushion of air (air bearing) which counterbalances the preloading, theair bearing being created by the rotating disk. The actuator then movesthe load beam to position one or more sliders at desired concentrictracks on the disks for reading and writing by the magnetic heads. Theslider is gimbal supported by the suspension as it flies with respect tothe disk.

The connection of the flexure to the load beam is made between a topinner end of the flexure and a bottom of the load beam. A top of thetongue has a load dome that is engaged by the bottom of the load beam ata pivot point. During flight of the slider, slight pitching and rollingmovements of the slider are supported by gimballing action of theflexure tongue about the pivot point, the gimballing action in turnbeing supported by flexure of the legs and terminal end portion of theflexure. In the prior art non-operational roll of the slider is limitedby engagement of wings on the flexure with tabs on the load beam.

A high capacity magnetic disk drive employs a plurality of double sidedmagnetic disks in a disk stack assembly and a plurality of suspensionsystems in a head stack assembly. The suspension systems, which aresupported by an actuator assembly, are interleaved between the disks sothat each side of each disk can be read and written by a respectivemagnetic head. Sliders of top and bottom suspensions in the stack facetop and bottom surfaces of top and bottom disks and sliders of each pairof suspension systems between the top and bottom suspensions faceopposing surfaces of a respective pair of disks.

Each suspension system is a delicate component before and after itsincorporation into a disk drive. The flexure of the HGA is a very thinsheet of metal which can be easily bent under shock loading. At timesshock loading may be intense enough to permanently bend the flexure bymoving the flexure tongue away from the load beam until its elasticlimit has been exceeded. A first improvement is adding roll limiters astaught in the prior art. Once the roll limiters are engaged during ashock event the slider rotates further in pitch. When a flexure tongueis permanently bent, the suspension must be discarded since preloadingand gimballing action of the HGA will be unacceptably altered.Unfortunately, intense shock loading can occur during manufacture andeven after installation in a disk drive. During manufacture suspensionsare transported in trays which can be jostled. After installation theframe supporting the disk drive can be jarred, such as by dropping alaptop computer. Such jarring can cause permanent damage of a suspensionwhich renders a disk drive inoperable.

Various schemes have been proposed to limit the pitch of the HGA.According to one such proposal, the terminal end of a flexure isprovided with a pair of tabs that extend over the top of the terminalend of the load beam. As is known, such tabs do not restrict pitchenough to prevent bending of the flexure.

Another pitch limiting scheme is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,085wherein a tab is provided on the cantilevered end of the flexure tonguewhich extends over the top of the load beam through an aperture in theload beam. However, such a tab prevents flexure tongues in a head stackassembly from being compressed by a merge comb when the head stackassembly is installed in the disk stack assembly. A merge comb lookssimilar to a hair comb; it includes a plurality of fingers which can beinterleaved with a column of tongues in a head stack assembly to preventpreloading while maintaining the suspensions in a retracted positionuntil the air bearing surfaces of the sliders assume a parallelrelationship. When the air bearing surfaces are parallel each pair ofsuspensions assumes its lowest height dimension thereby limiting theminimum distance at which disks can be spaced in the disk stackassembly. Accordingly, after assembly of a plurality of suspensions in ahead stack assembly the merge comb is placed to merge the suspensionsand then the head stack assembly is installed in the disk stackassembly. During installation, the spacing between the air bearingsurfaces of the HGAs is very small. If the merge comb cannot obtain aparallel relationship between the sliders then the spacing between disksmust be increased in order to permit the head stack assembly to beinstalled in the disk stack assembly without the sliders engaging andscraping across the surfaces of the disks. Manifestly when the distancebetween disks in a disk stack assembly increases, disk stacking densityis lessened thereby reducing the bit density of the disk drive. In orderfor a merge comb to perform its intended function, the cantilevered endof a flexure tongue must be adapted for engagement with a finger of themerge comb. This is not practical if the cantilevered end of the flexuretongue has a tab for limiting pitch movement of the flexure.Accordingly, there is a strong felt need for flexure tongues which willlimit pitch of flexures and yet cooperate with a merge comb forretracting sliders with their air bearing surfaces parallel with respectto one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides novel embodiments of the cantilevered endof the flexure tongue of an HGA for limiting pitch of the flexure tongueand for cooperating with a merge comb to implement a desirable merge ofmultiple suspensions. The preferred configuration is to provide theflexure tongue with a merge finger extending beyond its cantilevered endportion so that a remainder cantilevered end portion remains adjacent abase of the finger. With this arrangement the finger can be employedwith a merge comb for merge operations and the cantilevered end portionadjacent the base of the finger can be employed for pitch control. Pitchcontrol is achieved by providing a tab which extends from the load beamand captures the remainder cantilevered end portion for preventing theflexure tongue from pitching beyond its elastic limit. Since the mergefinger extends beyond the cantilevered end portion of the flexuretongue, many combinations can be employed for obtaining a desirablemerge of multiple suspensions. Ideally, when the merge finger compressesthe flexure tongue extension against the load beam surface and lifts thesuspension into the merge position the slider assumes a parallelrelationship with the disk. In another embodiment the merge finger ofeach of multiple HGAs can be provided with an offset height so that airbearing surfaces of multiple sliders are positioned parallel withrespect to one another when multiple merge fingers are engaged by amerge comb. The same result can be obtained with another embodiment inwhich the merge finger is provided with a predetermined flexibility.Still another embodiment achieves the same result by providing eachtooth of a merge comb with a step cut. In still a further embodiment,the load beam is provided with protrusions which predetermine therotation of the flexure tongue.

An important advantage of the present invention is that three pointfixation of the slider can be achieved during merge so that the slideris normalized in both pitch and roll. This is accomplished bycooperation of the merge finger with a prior art roll limiter consistingof a pair of wings on the flexure which are captured by a pair of tabson the load beam. Merge in the present invention results innormalization of pitch due to capture of the merge finger by the mergecomb simultaneously with normalization of roll due to capture of thewings of the flexure tongue by the tabs of the load beam. Thisarrangement maximizes head stacking density while protecting flexuresfrom shock loading. This arrangement also negates the effect of highprofile wires during merge. If wires from adjacent suspensions contacteach other during merge compression of suspension, they push the slidersapart and thereby reduce the merge clearance of the sliders to thedisks.

An object is to provide an HGA which can be employed to ideally positiona slider during merge for promoting stacking density and to limit pitchof the slider at other times to prevent bending damage to the HGA.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexure tonguewhich can be employed to limit pitch of an HGA and to position the airbearing surface of a slider parallel to other air bearing surfaces ofother sliders.

A further object is to provide a uniquely configured flexure tonguewhich enables various arrangements for achieving pitch normalizationduring merge.

Still another object is to provide merge components which will optimizestacking density of a head stack assembly during merge.

Still a further object is to provide a high stack density magnetic diskdrive which is shock protected.

Still another object is to limit motion of the slider duringmanufacturing and assembly operations to prevent wire fatigue and brokenwires.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyappreciated upon reading the following description taken together withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a magnetic disk drive.

FIG. 2 is a top isometric illustration of the magnetic disk drive.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the magnetic disk drive.

FIG. 4 is a side schematic illustration of a disk drive and merge combwith suspensions shown operationally in phantom and engaging the mergecomb in full when non-operational.

FIG. 5 is an isometric illustration of a prior art suspension with aportion of the load beam cut away.

FIG. 6 is a top isometric view of a prior art head/gimbal assembly (HGA)with a portion of the flexure cut away.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the present suspension with a portion ofthe load beam cut away.

FIG. 8 is a top isometric illustration of the HGA with a portion of theflexure cut away.

FIG. 9 is a top isometric illustration of the suspension with a portionof the load beam and a portion of the flexure cut away.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the HGA with a portion of the flexurecut away and the slider shown in phantom.

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the present HGA and load beam.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the present load beam with the HGA shownin hidden lines there below.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the present load beam and HGA with the airbearing surface of a slider shown in a horizontal position.

FIG. 14 is the same as FIG. 13 except the air bearing surface of theslider has been rotated in pitch and stopped by a pitch limiter of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 is still another embodiment for obtaining merge normalizationwith a bowed end portion of the load beam.

FIG. 16 is still a further embodiment for obtaining merge normalizationwith a protrusion on the load beam.

FIG. 17 is still another embodiment for obtaining merge normalizationwith an alternate protrusion on the load beam.

FIG. 18 is a side schematic illustration of a finger embodiment of theHGA merged with a merge comb.

FIG. 19 is another finger embodiment of the present HGA merged with amerge comb. FIG. 20 is a further embodiment for obtaining mergenormalization with an offset tooth of a merge comb.

FIG. 21 is a side view of a pair of prior art suspensions showing anangled pitch condition during merge.

FIG. 22 is a side illustration of a pair of present suspensions showinga zero pitch condition during merge.

FIG. 23 is a side view of a pair of present suspensions loaded onto apair of disks.

FIG. 24 is another embodiment of the tongue for obtaining mergenormalization.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designatelike or similar parts throughout the several views, there is shown inFIGS. 1, 2, and 3 a magnetic disk drive 30 which employs a head/gimbalassembly (HGA) 32 embodying this invention. The disk drive has a diskstack assembly 34 and a head stack assembly 36. The disk stack assembly34 includes a plurality of vertically stacked disks 38 which aresupported for rotation on a spindle 40, the spindle 40 being rotated bya motor 42. The head stack assembly 36 includes a plurality ofvertically stacked suspensions 44, each suspension being mounted to arespective actuator arm 46. Each actuator arm 46 is mounted for rotationon an actuator hub 48 which is selectively rotated by a voice coil 50.Each suspension 44 includes a respective HGA 32 and a load beam 52, theHGA being mounted on the load beam as will be explained in more detailhereinafter. Each HGA 32 includes a slider 54 which carries a magnetichead (shown later) for reading and writing magnetic signals on the disks38. Processing circuitry 56 is operatively connected to the motor 42,the voice coil 50, and the magnetic heads for rotating the disks 3 8,selectively rotating the actuator arms 46, and reading and writing onthe disks respectively. When the voice coil 50 is operated, the magneticheads on the slider 54 are moved to selected circular tracks on thedisks where magnetic signals are read and written by the heads. Becauseof direct access to these circular tracks by simple rotation of theactuator arms 46, this type of storage device is known as a directaccess storage device (DASD).

Each load beam 52 preloads a respective slider 54 on a surface of a disk38. When the disks 38 are rotated, each disk creates a cushion of aircalled an air bearing which counterbalances preloading of the load beam52 causing a slider to fly slightly off of the surface of a disk, in theorder of 0.075 microns. The surface of the slider, which is supported bythis air bearing, is known as an air bearing surface (ABS). In someembodiments, the surface of the disk 38 may be provided with a lubricantallowing the ABS of the slider to slightly contact the surface of thedisk when the disks are rotated. The HGA 32 of the present inventionallows for slight movements in pitch and roll of the slider 54 duringrotation of the magnetic disk 38. The HGA is a very delicate componentwhich can be rotated in pitch beyond its elastic limit in response toshock loading caused by dropping or sudden acceleration of the diskdrive.

This may result in a permanent bend of the HGA which can render thedrive inoperable. One of the purposes of this invention is to limit thepitch movement of the HGA when shock loading occurs.

Stacking density of the disk stack assembly 34 increases the storagecapacity of the disk drive 30. Accordingly, there is a strong felt needfor reducing the spacing between the disks 38 as much as practical underthe circumstances. In the manufacture of the disk drive, the disk stackassembly 34 and the head stack assembly 36 are manufactured separatelyand then combined, as shown in FIG. 3, by a very delicate assembly step.In order to promote disk stacking density, this step is accomplished bycompressing pairs of suspensions between the disks as well as spreadingthe top and bottom suspensions in the drive so that the head stackassembly 36 can be assembled into the disk stack assembly 38 without thesliders 54 dragging across the surfaces of the disks. A single headdragging on a disk at this assembly step necessitates the disassemblyand rework of the HGA and disk stacks, which is a very costly procedure.This operation is known as "merge" and is typically implemented with amerge comb 60 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The merge comb 60 has aplurality of teeth or fingers 62 which interlace with the suspensions 46so that these suspensions can be inserted in a compressed state withinthe disk stack assembly 34. In the prior art the merge comb engages theload beams 52 to cause a slight rotation of the sliders 54 in pitch,reducing the clearance between the sliders and the disks 38. In a priorart disk drive, the nominal merge clearance is about 0.185 mm from theslider to the disk. With the prior art merge arrangement, the sliderrotates 0.6 degrees in pitch resulting in a reduction of merge clearanceof about 0.01 mm at the leading edge of the slider. There is a strongfelt need to normalize pitch to zero which would result in an increasein merge clearance for this arrangement. This would then allow the disks38 in the disk stack assembly 34 to be stacked slightly closer togetherwhich would result in increased storage capacity of the disk drive.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a prior art suspension 64 which includes aprior art HGA 66 mounted to a prior art load beam 67. As shown in FIG.6, the prior art HGA 66 includes a prior art flexure 68 which is a thinsheet of stainless steel. The flexure 68 has a window 70 bounded in partby a pair of legs 72 and a terminal end portion 74. Extending into andcantilevered within the window 70 is a tongue 76. The tongue 76 isconnected at its base to the terminal end portion 74. The slider 54 isconnected to the tongue 76 by any suitable means such as adhesivebonding so that the tongue 76 acts as a gimbal for movements of theslider 54 in roll and pitch during rotation of an adjacent disk in thedisk drive. The thickness of the flexure is typically 0.02 to 0.03 mm.The thickness of the load beam 52 is typically 0.05 to 0.08 mm. As acomparison, the thickness of an ordinary piece of paper is 0.1 mm. Aportion of the length of the load beam 67 has side flanges 80 whichstiffen the beam, leaving a portion of the load beam, which extends fromthese side flanges to the actuator arm (see FIG. 1), for resilientlybiasing (preloading) the slider toward the surface of a magnetic disk.As shown in FIG. 5, the load beam 67 includes a pair of tabs 84 whichare positioned slightly below wings 86 that extend laterally from theflexure 68. This arrangement is known as a "roll limiter" since the HGA66 is limited in its roll by the tabs 84. The prior art suspension showndoes not have a pitch limiter to prevent the flexure 68 of the HGA 66from pitching beyond its elastic limits. There is no provision made bythe prior art suspension 64 for pitch normalization of the slidersduring assembly of the head stack assembly into the disk stack assemblyas discussed hereinabove. The prior art flexure tongue may extendslightly beyond the slider for inspection of adhesive spread between theflexure tongue and the slider for bonding purposes.

The free end of the novel suspension 44, which is illustrated in FIG. 7,shows the HGA 32 mounted to the load beam 52. Both the HGA 32 and theload beam 52 of this invention are different from the prior art HGA 66and load beam 67 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 8, the present HGA 32includes a flexure 90 which has a window 92, the window being bounded inpart by legs 94 and terminal end portion 96. Cantilevered within thewindow 92 is a specially configured tongue 100 which extends from theterminal end portion 96 of the flexure. The tongue 100 has a finger 102which extends from a cantilevered end portion 104, the finger 102 beingto one side of the cantilevered end portion 104 so that a remainingcantilevered end portion 106 remains adjacent the base of the finger102. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, the finger 102enables merge normalization of the slider 54. The slider 54 is attachedto the tongue with the remaining end portion 106 and the tongue 102extending beyond the rear edge 107 of the slider. In any event theextension of the tongue beyond the edge 107 should be at least 3/4 thewidth of the tongue attached to the slider for implementing mergenormalization.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the load beam 52 may be provided with aload dome 103 which engages the tongue 100 at a pivot point where thetongue rocks as a gimbal in all directions about the pivot point,limited only by the pitch and roll limiters. Alternatively, the loaddome could be provided on the tongue for engagement with the load beamat a pivot point. FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate additional details of thepitch and roll limiters, the illustration in FIG. 11 being a bottom planview of the free end portion of the suspension 44 and the illustrationin FIG. 12 being a top plan view of the free end portion of thesuspension. As shown in FIGS. 7, and 9-14, the load beam 52 is providedwith an arrangement for limiting pitch of the slider. The load beam 52is provided with a cutout 108 with the exception of a remainder portionwhich has a downwardly extending portion 110 and a generallyhorizontally extending tab portion 112. As shown best in FIGS. 13 and14, the tab 112 extends below the cantilevered end portion 106 of thetongue thereby limiting pitch movement of the slider to a small angle,such as 2°. FIG. 14 shows the slider 54 limited in its pitch byengagement of the cantilevered end portion 106 of the tongue with thetab 112. This arrangement prevents bending of the flexure beyond itselastic limit. With this arrangement, the HGA 32 is now limited in bothpitch and roll and its flexure will not become permanently bent upon theoccurrence of undesirable shock loading. This arrangement also preservesintegrity of the HGA during manufacture of the suspensions and the headstack assembly prior to assembling the head stack assembly into the diskstack assembly. The cutout 108 is also adjacent the finger 102 forallowing space for movement of the finger 102. This arrangement relaxesthe tolerances for the various components of the HGA.

FIGS. 15 to 20 illustrate various embodiments of an engagement of theflexure finger 102 with a merge comb finger 62 for normalizing pitch ofthe air bearing surface of the slider to 0°. A preferred embodiment isshown in FIG. 15 wherein the load beam is configured at an anglerelative to the disk during operation such that during merge compressionthe flexure tongue is pushed against the load beam by the merge combresulting in a zero pitch angle of the slider relative to the disk. Theangle or bow of the load beam is due to the fixation of the load beam tothe actuator which angles the load beam toward the disk so that when theslider is loaded on the disk the load beam bends away from the disk. InFIGS. 16 and 17 the load beam 52 is configured with formed protrusionswhich limit the elevation of the merge comb and thereby position theflexure tongue to its ideal zero pitch angle relative to the disks. InFIG. 18 the merge finger 102B is provided with a height step 116 whichachieves normalized pitch during merge. In FIG. 19 the merge comb finger62A is provided with a height step 118 which achieves normalized pitchduring merge. In FIG. 20 the flexure finger 102A is configured with aflexibility which is fashioned to achieve normalized pitch of the sliderduring merge.

FIGS. 21-23 illustrate the increase in merge clearance which can beobtained by the present invention. FIG. 23 shows side views of a pair ofhead gimbal assemblies in their functional configuration in a disk driveassembly. In FIG. 21 a merge of a pair of prior art suspensions resultsin a leading edge of the slider being spaced from the surface of thedisk about 0.175 mm and the trailing edge of the slider being spacedfrom the surface of the disk about 0.195 mm. This is about a 0.60° pitchangle relative to the disk. With the present invention, the pitchrotation can be corrected to zero, as shown in FIG. 22, with evenspacing between the air bearing surface of the slider and the surface ofthe disk of about 0.185 mm. This is an improvement over the prior artmerge shown in FIG. 21 of about 0.01 mm. This is also a 5% increase inmerge clearance which enables greater stacking density of the disks inthe disk stacking assembly 34. It should be noted from FIGS. 15-20 thatthe present flexure tongue 102 enables various combinations forachieving normalized pitch of the slider.

In FIG. 23 the suspensions are shown loaded onto the disks. This is acondition of preloading which is caused by resilient biasing of the HGAsby the load beams. Because of the gimballing action of the tongue, theair bearing surfaces of the sliders assume parallel relationships withthe surfaces of the disks. When the disks are rotated, the sliders mayliterally fly a short distance from the surfaces of the disks on theaforementioned air bearing or slightly contact a lightly lubricatedsurface of the disks so that a magnetic head (not shown) carried by eachslider can read and write magnetic signals on the disk.

In FIG. 24 the finger 102 and the pitch limiter 112 are not employed. Atongue has first and second portions 122 and 124 with the slider 54mounted to the first portion 122 so that the second portion 124 extendsbeyond the edge 107 of the slider for engaging the merge comb 60 formerge normalization. The second portion 124 should extend beyond edge107 at least 3/4 the width of the tongue 120 to achieve this purpose. Anopening 108 is provided adjacent the second portion 124 of the tonguefor clearance purposes as discussed hereinabove.

The present invention has provided a flexure tongue which is uniquelyconfigured to enable normalized pitch of a slider during merge andenable limited pitch of the slider during construction and afterinstallation in a drive to protect the HGA from severe shock loads.Accordingly, the flexure tongue enables a double function which has notbeen achievable by the prior art. When the merge comb is inserted in thehead stack assembly, all of the suspensions are compressed to anormalized pitch condition with the sliders restrained in pitch and rollby a three-point fixation caused by the flexure tongue extension androll limiters. It should be understood that the terms "above" and"below" are to be considered as used interchangeably in this descriptionsince the air bearing surface of a slider can either face upwardly ordownwardly, as shown in FIG. 2.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications andadaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope of the present invention as set forthin the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A suspension comprising:a load beam; and a head/gimbalassembly which includes:a flexure which has a secured end portionconnected to the load beam and which has a suspended end portionextending from the second end portion away from the load beam; thesuspended end portion having a window, the window being partiallybounded by a pair of legs and a suspended terminal end portion; atongue, having a length and a width W and first and second portionsextending in length into said window, the first portion extending fromthe suspended terminal end portion and the second portion extending fromthe first portion; a slider, which has an air bearing surface, mountedto the first portion of the tongue with the flexure between the sliderand the load beam and with the second portion of the tongue extending inlength from the slider in a direction away from said first portiontoward the secured end portion of the flexure a distance which isgreater than 3/4 the width W of the tongue so that the second endportion of the tongue is engageable with a merge comb for stabilizingthe air bearing surface of the slider in a desired normalized position;and a load dome for disengaging the legs of the flexure from the loadbeam to enable the slider to rotate in pitch as the legs bend.
 2. Asuspension as claimed in claim 1 comprising:the second portion of thetongue having a base portion and a suspension finger, the base portionbeing immediately adjacent the first portion of the tongue and havingfirst and second width portions, the suspension finger being connectedto the first width portion, having a width less than width W andextending away from said first portion of the tongue so as to leave thesecond width portion adjacent a base of the suspension finger.
 3. Asuspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:the load beam having anopening adjacent the suspension finger for providing clearance formovement of the suspension finger through a plane of the load beam.
 4. Asuspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:said suspension fingerhaving a height offset end portion so that when said height offsetportion of the suspension finger is engaged by the merge comb the airbearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desired position.
 5. Asuspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:said suspension finger beingflexible so that when the suspension finger is engaged by the merge combthe air bearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desiredposition.
 6. A suspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:the terminalend portion of the load beam angling upwardly when the slider is loadedon a disk so that when the suspension finger is engaged by the mergecomb the air bearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desiredposition.
 7. A suspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:the load beamhaving a protrusion which spaces a merge comb from the load beam apredetermined distance when the merge comb engages the suspension fingerso that the air bearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desiredposition.
 8. A suspension as claimed in claim 7 comprising:theprotrusion being engageable with the suspension finger.
 9. A suspensionas claimed in claim 7 comprising:the protrusion being engageable withthe merge comb.
 10. A suspension as claimed in claim 2 comprising:saidload beam having a tab which captures said second width portion of thebase portion of the tongue so that the flexure has limited pitchmovement about the load dome.
 11. A shock protected high stack densitysuspension comprising:a load beam having a secured end portion forconnection to an actuator and a suspended end portion extending fromsaid actuator; a flexure having a secured end portion which is mountedto the suspended end portion of the load beam and a suspended endportion which extends away from the secured end portion of the loadbeam; the suspended end portion of the flexure having a window boundedin part by a pair of legs and a suspended terminal end portion of theflexure; a tongue which has first and second portions and a length and awidth W cantilevered along its length from the suspended terminal endportion of the flexure into said window in a direction which is towardthe secured end portion of the flexure; a slider, which has an airbearing surface, mounted to the first portion of the tongue with theflexure between the slider and the load beam and with the second portionof the tongue extending in length from the slider toward the secured endportion of the flexure a distance which is greater than 3/4 the width Wof the tongue so that the second end portion of the tongue is engageablewith a merge comb for stabilizing the air bearing surface of the sliderin a desired normalized position.
 12. A suspension as claimed in claim11 comprising:the second portion of the tongue having a base portion anda suspension finger, the base portion being immediately adjacent thefirst portion of the tongue and having first and second width portions,the suspension finger being connected to the first width portion havinga width less than width W and extending away from said first portion ofthe tongue so as to leave the second width portion adjacent a base ofthe suspension finger.
 13. A suspension as claimed in claim 12comprising:the flexure or the load beam having a load dome which engagesthe load beam or the flexure so that said legs are disengaged from theload beam; said load beam having a tab which captures said second widthportion of the base portion of the tongue so that the flexure haslimited pitch movement about the load dome.
 14. A combination whichincludes a disk drive and a merge comb, the combination comprising:aplurality of suspensions, each suspension including:a load beam havingfirst and second end portions, the first end portion being adapted to beconnected to an actuator; a flexure having first and second endportions, the first end portion being connected to the second endportion of the load beam; the second end portion of the flexure having awindow bounded in part by a pair of legs and a suspended terminal endportion of the flexure; a tongue, which has a length and a width andfirst and second portions extending in length from the suspendedterminal end portion of the flexure into said window in a directionwhich is toward the first end portion of the load beam, the firstportion extending from the suspended terminal end portion of the flexureand the second portion extending from the first portion; a slidermounted to the first portion of the tongue with the second portion ofthe tongue extending in length toward the first end portion of the loadbeam; a head stack assembly including said plurality of suspensions, thesuspensions being stacked in a column so that the second portions of thetongues are stacked in a column; a merge comb which has a plurality ofcomb fingers which are adapted for interengagement with the secondportions of the tongues; and the load beams, the second end portions ofthe tongues and the merge comb being fashioned to position the airbearing surfaces of the sliders in a substantially parallel relationshipwith respect to one another when the plurality of fingers of the mergecomb interengage the plurality of second end portions of the tongues.15. A suspension comprising:a load beam; and a head/gimbal assemblywhich includes:a flexure which has a secured end portion connected tothe load beam and which has a suspended end portion; the flexure havinga window, the window being partially bounded by a pair of legs and asuspended terminal end portion of the flexure; a tongue, having a lengthand a width W and first and second portions extending in length intosaid window, the first portion extending from the suspended terminal endportion and the second portion extending from the first portion; aslider, which has an air bearing surface, mounted to the first portionof the tongue with the flexure between the slider and the load beam andwith the second portion of the tongue extending in length from theslider toward the secured end portion of the flexure a distancesufficient to engage a merge comb for stabilizing the air bearingsurface of the slider in a desired normalized position; the secondportion of the tongue having a base portion, which has said width and isadjacent the first portion of the tongue, and a suspension finger, whichhas a width less than said width of the tongue and which extends fromthe base portion toward the secured end portion of the flexure so as toleave a second width portion of the base portion adjacent a base of thesuspension finger; said terminal suspended end portion of the flexurehaving first and second laterally extending wings; said load beam havinga tab which captures said second width portion of the base portion ofthe tongue so that the flexure has limited pitch movement about the loaddome; a load dome for disengaging the legs of the flexure from the loadbeam to enable the slider to rotate in pitch as the legs bend; and aterminal suspended end portion of the load beam having first and secondtabs which are spaced from the first and second wings for limiting rollmovement of the flexure about said load dome.
 16. A suspension asclaimed in claim 15 comprising:the suspension finger and the wings ofthe flexure and the tabs of the load beam being fashioned so that when amerge comb engages the suspension finger the slider is fixed in pitchand roll.
 17. A magnetic disk drive which includes a plurality ofsuspensions as claimed in claim 16, the disk drive comprising:a headstack assembly which includes said plurality of suspensions; a diskstack assembly; the head stack assembly being merged with the disk stackassembly; and control and processing means connected to the disk stackassembly and the head stack assembly for controlling movements of disksin the disk stack assembly and the suspensions in the head stackassembly and for processing signals to and from magnetic heads in thehead stack assembly.
 18. A combination including a plurality ofsuspensions as claimed in claim 16 and a merge comb, the combinationcomprising:a head stack assembly which includes the suspensions, thesuspensions being stacked in a column so that the suspension fingers ofthe suspensions are stacked in a column of suspension fingers; saidmerge comb; and the merge comb having a plurality of comb fingers which,upon engagement with the column of suspension fingers, position airbearing surfaces of a plurality of the sliders in a substantiallyparallel relationship.
 19. A combination as claimed in claim 18comprising:each suspension finger having a height offset end portion sothat when height offset portions of the suspension finger are engaged bycomb fingers of the merge comb the air bearing surfaces of the slidersare normalized to a desired position.
 20. A combination as claimed inclaim 18 comprising:each suspension finger being flexible so that whenthe suspension fingers are engaged by the comb fingers of the merge combthe air bearing surfaces of the sliders are normalized to a desiredposition.
 21. A combination as claimed in claim 18 comprising:theterminal end portion of each load beam angling upwardly when the slidersare loaded on disks so that when the suspension fingers are engaged bythe comb fingers of the merge comb the air bearing surfaces of thesliders are normalized to a desired position.
 22. A combination asclaimed in claim 18 comprising:each load beam having a protrusion whichspaces a respective one of said comb fingers of the merge comb from theload beam a predetermined distance so that when a comb finger engages arespective suspension finger the air bearing surfaces of the sliders arenormalized to desired positions.
 23. A combination as claimed in claim18 comprising:each protrusion being engageable with the respectivefinger.
 24. A combination as claimed in claim 18 comprising:eachprotrusion being engageable with a respective comb finger of the mergecomb.
 25. A combination as claimed in claim 18 comprising:each combfinger having an offset height portion which engages a respectivesuspension finger so that the air bearing surfaces of the sliders arenormalized to desired positions.
 26. A shock protected high stackdensity suspension comprising:a load beam having a secured end portionfor connection to an actuator and a suspended end portion extending fromsaid actuator; a flexure having a secured end portion which is mountedto the suspended end portion of the load beam and a suspended endportion which extends away from the secured end portion of the loadbeam; the suspended end portion of the flexure having a window boundedin part by a pair of legs and a suspended terminal end portion of theflexure; a tongue which has first and second portions and a length and awidth, cantilevered along its length from the suspended terminal endportion of the flexure into said window in a direction which is towardthe secured end portion of the flexure; a slider, which has an airbearing surface, mounted to the first portion of the tongue with theflexure between the slider and the load beam and with the second portionof the tongue extending in length from the slider toward the secured endportion of the flexure a distance sufficient to engage a merge comb forstabilizing the air bearing surface of the slider in a desirednormalized position; the second portion of the tongue having a baseportion, which has said width and is adjacent the first portion of thetongue, and a suspension finger, which has a width less than said widthof the tongue and which extends from a first width portion of the baseportion toward the secured end portion of the flexure so as to leave asecond width portion of the base portion adjacent a base of thesuspension finger; the flexure or load beam having a load dome whichengages the load beam or the flexure so that said legs are disengagedfrom the load beam; said load beam having a tab which captures saidsecond width portion of the base portion of the tongue so that theflexure has limited pitch movement about the load dome; said terminalsuspended end portion of the flexure having first and second laterallyextending wings; and a terminal suspended end portion of the load beamhaving first and second tabs which are spaced from the first and secondwings for limiting roll movement of the flexure about said load dome.27. A suspension as claimed in claim 26 comprising:the load beam havingan opening adjacent the suspension finger for providing clearance formovement of the suspension finger.
 28. A suspension as claimed in claim26 comprising:the suspension finger and the wings of the flexure and thetabs of the load beam being fashioned so that when a merge comb engagesthe suspension finger the slider is fixed in pitch and roll.
 29. Asuspension as claimed in claim 28 comprising:said suspension fingerhaving a height offset end portion so that when said height offsetportion of the finger is engaged by a merge comb the air bearing surfaceof the slider is normalized to a desired position.
 30. A suspension asclaimed in claim 28 comprising:said suspension finger being flexible sothat when the suspension finger is engaged by a merge comb the airbearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desired position.
 31. Asuspension as claimed in claim 28 comprising:the terminal end portion ofthe load beam angling upwardly when the slider is loaded on a disk sothat when the suspension finger is engaged by a merge comb the airbearing surface of the slider is normalized to a desired position.
 32. Asuspension as claimed in claim 28 comprising:the load beam having aprotrusion which spaces a merge comb from the load beam a predetermineddistance when a merge comb engages the finger so that the air bearingsurface of the slider is normalized to a desired position.
 33. Asuspension as claimed in claim 32 comprising:the protrusion beingengageable with the suspension finger.
 34. A suspension as claimed inclaim 32 comprising:the protrusion being engageable with the merge comb.35. A combination including a plurality of suspensions as claimed inclaim 26 and a merge comb, the combination comprising:a head stackassembly which includes the suspensions, the suspensions being stackedin a column so that the suspension fingers of the suspensions arestacked in a column of suspension fingers; and a merge comb which has aplurality of comb fingers which are adapted for interengagement with thesuspension fingers.
 36. A magnetic disk drive which includes thecombination claimed in claim 35, the disk drive comprising:a head stackassembly which includes said plurality of suspensions; a disk stackassembly; the head stack assembly being merged with the disk stackassembly; and control and processing means connected to the disk stackassembly and the head stack assembly for controlling movements of disksin the disk stack assembly and the suspensions in the head stackassembly and for processing signals to and from magnetic heads in thehead stack assembly.
 37. A combination as claimed in claim 36comprising:each suspension finger having a height offset end portion sothat when height offset portions of the suspension finger are engaged bycomb fingers of the merge comb the air bearing surfaces of the slidersare normalized to a desired position.
 38. A combination as claimed inclaim 36 comprising:each suspension finger being flexible so that whenthe suspension fingers are engaged by the comb fingers of the merge combthe air bearing surfaces of the sliders are normalized to a desiredposition.
 39. A combination as claimed in claim 36 comprising:theterminal end portion of the load beam angling upwardly when the slidersare loaded on disks so that when the suspension fingers are engaged bythe comb fingers of the merge comb the air bearing surfaces of thesliders are normalized to a desired position.
 40. A combination asclaimed in claim 36 comprising:each load beam having a protrusion whichspaces a respective one of said comb fingers of the merge comb from theload beam a predetermined distance so that when a comb finger engages arespective suspension finger the air bearing surfaces of the sliders arenormalized to desired positions.
 41. A combination as claimed in claim40 comprising:each protrusion being engageable with the respectivefinger.
 42. A combination as claimed in claim 40 comprising:eachprotrusion being engageable with a respective comb finger of the mergecomb.
 43. A combination as claimed in claim 36 comprising:each combfinger having an offset height portion which engages a respectivesuspension finger so that the air bearing surfaces of the sliders arenormalized to desired positions.
 44. A combination which includes a diskdrive and a merge comb, the combination comprising:a plurality ofsuspensions, each suspension including:a load beam having first andsecond end portions, the first end portion being adapted to be connectedto an actuator; a flexure having first and second end portions, thefirst end portion being connected to the second end portion of the loadbeam; the second end portion of the flexure having a window bounded inpart by a pair of legs and a suspended terminal end portion of theflexure; a tongue, which has a length and a width and first and secondportions extending in length from the suspended terminal end portion ofthe flexure into said window in a direction which is toward the firstend portion of the load beam, the first portion extending from thesuspended terminal end portion of the flexure and the second portionextending from the first portion; a slider mounted to the first portionof the tongue with the second portion of the tongue extending in lengthtoward the first end portion of the load beam; and the second portion ofthe tongue having a base portion, which has said width adjacent thefirst portion of the tongue, and a suspension finger which has a widthless than said width of the tongue and which extends from a first widthportion of the base portion toward the first end portion of the loadbeam leaving a second width portion of the base portion adjacent a baseof the suspension finger; a head stack assembly including said pluralityof suspensions, the suspensions being stacked in a column so that thesecond portions of the tongues are stacked in a column; a merge combhaving a plurality of comb fingers that are adapted for interengagementwith the suspension fingers; said load beam having a tab which capturessaid second width portion of the base portion of the tongue so that theflexure has limited pitch movement about the load dome; and the loadbeams, the suspension fingers and the merge comb being fashioned toposition the air bearing surfaces of the sliders in a substantiallyparallel relationship with respect to one another when the comb fingersinterengage the plurality of suspension fingers.
 45. A combination asclaimed in claim 44 comprising:each load beam having an opening adjacentrespective fingers for providing clearance for movement of the fingers.46. A combination as claimed in claim 44 comprising:each suspensionfinger having a height offset end portion so that when height offsetportions of the suspension finger are engaged by comb fingers of themerge comb the air bearing surfaces of the sliders are normalized to adesired position.
 47. A combination as claimed in claim 44comprising:each suspension finger being flexible so that when thesuspension fingers are engaged by the comb fingers of the merge comb theair bearing surfaces of the sliders are normalized to a desiredposition.
 48. A combination as claimed in claim 44 comprising:theterminal end portion of each load beam angling upwardly when the slidersare loaded on disks so that when the suspension fingers are engaged bythe comb fingers of the merge comb the air bearing surfaces of thesliders are normalized to a desired position.
 49. A combination asclaimed in claim 44 comprising:each load beam having a protrusion whichspaces a respective one of said comb fingers of the merge comb from theload beam a predetermined distance when a comb finger engages arespective suspension finger so that the air bearing surfaces of thesliders are normalized to desired positions.
 50. A combination asclaimed in claim 49 comprising:each protrusion being engageable with therespective finger.
 51. A combination as claimed in claim 49comprising:each protrusion being engageable with a respective combfinger of the merge comb.
 52. A combination as claimed in claim 44comprising:each comb finger having an offset height portion whichengages a respective suspension finger so that the air bearing surfacesof the sliders are normalized to desired positions.